Sole pressing pad



Oct. 22, 1935. F. R. MERRIT'T 2,017,982

SOLE PRESSING PAD Filed May 22, 1953 Patented Oct. 22, 1935 UNITED .STATES PATENT OFFICE vSOLE PREssING PAD Application lMay 22, 1933, Serial No. 672,131 In Great Britain October 15, 1932 27 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in pad structures for applying pressure to the soles of shoes and is illustrated herein as embodied in a pad particularly adapted for use in cement-attaching soles to compo shoes.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a solid pad which will possess the capabilities of adapting itself to the varying formations of the bottoms of shoes of dierent types which characteristic of many of the wateror airilled pads commonly used for applying pressure to shoe bottoms in cement sole attaching machines, thereby obviating the difficulties occasioned from time to time by the bursting of fluid-filled pads and at the same time making it possible to operate upon widely varying types of shoes without changing the pad as must be done with the solid pads of the prior art.

With the above objects in view and in accordance with a feature of the invention, the surface opposite the shoe receiving surface of the illustrated solid rubber pad is grooved in a, manner which facilitates to a high degree the conforming of the pad to the shape of a shoe bottom without detracting from its effectiveness as a pressure receiving or transmitting means. In accordance with another feature, and to permit the shoe to bed itself to the desired extent in the pad when the sole attaching pressure is applied, the portion of the pad underlying the shoe bottom is made of relatively soft rubber while the marginal portion of the pad is of relatively hard rubber, for example rubber reinforced with a multiplicity 'of layers of canvas or other suitable fabric, the different hardness of the two portions of the pad being such as to permit the shoe to sink into the softer rubber of the pad only about sufi'iciently to provide good contact between the sole and the shoe bottom. In order to permit the marginal portion of the sole to be rolled upward into contact with the shoe upper, Yas desired in some styles'of shoes, the soft rubber portion of the pad which underlies the shoe bottom is provided, at the surface opposite its sole engaging surface, with a sheet of rubber which may be stripped off so that the sole attaching pressure will cause that portion of the pad to be depressed so that the shoe will sink into the pad to a greater depth than would otherwise be the case. In order to facilitate the adjustment of the pad in operating upon shoes having varying heel heights, and in accordance with another feature of the 'invention, the surface of the pad opposite its sole 'receiving surface is, 'as' illustrated, provided with a (Cl. 12-38) i transversely extending groove underlying the break line of the sole of a shoe positioned on the pad.

A pad embodying any or all of the above features may advantageously be used in combination 5 with and resting upon a harder pad which latter, in accordance with another feature of the invention, is valso provided with one or more transversely extending grooves substantially underlying the previously-mentioned transversely ex- 10 tending groove.

With the above and other objects and features in view the invention will now be described in connection with the accompanying drawing and pointed out in the claims.

In the drawing,

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view through a pad structure involving the present invention and illustrating its relation to a shoe the sole of which is beirnr cement attached; and

Fig. 2 is a perspective view partly in section of the shoe engaging pad of Fig. 1, positioned upside down so as to show particularly the arrangement of grooves in the bottom of the pad by which the pad is caused to conform to the shapes 25 of the bottoms of the shoes operated upon.

The illustrated pad was developed for use in a machine of the type disclosed in an application for Letters Patent of the United States vSerial No. 636,202, `filed October 4, 1932, in the names of Milton H. Ballard, Darius W. Bunker, Sidney J. Finn, John F. Hardy, Thomas H. Seely, and William D. Thomas. Accordingly, it is illustrated as supported in a box-like structure Il), often for convenience called a box, the bottom of which is made up of two sections I2 and I4. The rear end of the rear section I2 is pivoted at IB to the side walls I8 of the box I0 and the forward end of that section is pivoted at 20 to the rear end of the forward section I4. Near its forward end the section I4 rests upon a sleeve 22 mounted on a transversely extending rod 24 supported by the side walls I8. Thus by raising or lowering the pivot 20, as more fully disclosed in said application Serial No. 636,202, the angular relation of the bottom sections I2 and I4 may be varied, the pivot being lowered when a shoe which is to have ahigh heel is to be operated upon and raised when a shoe which is to have a relatively low heel is to be operated upon.

Resting upon the bottom members I2 and I4 and substantially filling the area of the box structure I Il is a pad 26 of relatively firm or hard material such as tough and resilient but preferably by no means rigid rubber. The upper and lower 55 surfaces of the pad are substantially parallel and, to facilitate the bending of the pad as the pivot 2o is adjusted, the pad is provided with a groove or a plurality of grooves 28 extending transversely of the pad above and in the vicinity of the pivot 2d. Resting upon the pad 26 is a pad 3U which will now be described in detail. Y

The top surface of the pad 3U is, as illustrated herein, shaped initially to conform to the prole of the bottom of a womans shoe that is to have a heel of'moderate height, the portionrof the top surface of the pad forwardly of the break line of the sole of a shoeV operatively positioned upon the'pad being approximately-parallelto the bottom of the pad. The portion of the pad underlying the shank of the shoe is bulged somewhat, as illustrated at 32, to conform to the rise of the shank of the shoe, so that the rear portion of the pad is thicker than its forepart. This willl be evi-dent from a consideration of Fig. 1 of the drawing in which a shoe 34, drawn in broken lines, is illustrated as resting'upon the pad 30. In order Yto adapt the pad 3Q to operate on shoes that 'are to have heels of widely varying heights the bottom of the pad, that is the surface opposite the Vshoe engaging surface, is provided with a transverse slit or groove 35 underlying (as shown in Fig. 1)

Y Y the break line of the sole of the shoe 34 which is operatively positioned upon the pad and of a depth extending, as illustrated, more than half way through the pad, so that when the pivot 2U is adjusted it Will not be 'necessary to 'flex an excessivethickness of rubber.

Y VIn order to permit the shoe 34 to bed itself sufiicently into the surface of the pad to provide good contact of the sole andthe shoe bottom, a portion 36 of the pad, of an area as large as that of the sole ofthe largest shoe to be operated on and conforming approximately in shape to the outline of a sole, is made of relatively soft rubber, having a durcmeter reading of, for example, 45 to 50, this portion of the pad being surrounded by a lharder rubber portion which, as illustrated at"38,

is reinforced by a multiplicity of plies of canvas or other suitable fabric. To permit the shoe more readily to seat itself in the pad 35, the entire surface of the pad is overlaid with a thin layer 40 of still'softer but tough rubber having a durometer reading of 35 to 40. Furthermore, the portion 36 Vof the pad is bounded and separated from the harder reinforced portion 38, particularly at the sides and forepart of the pad, by a relatively deep groove made up of longitudinally extending por- V tions A2, 44, spaced from each other by adistance V55Y not less than the Width of the largest shoe to be operated on and connected at the toe end of the pad by a transversely extending curved groove 46.

Thus, when the central portionof/'the pad sinks under the sole attaching pressure there will not be an excessive thickness of rubber connecting that portion with the harder reinforced portion 38 which maintains at all times substantially its normal shape and position, except of course as it is bent more or less about a line underlying the break line of the sole of the shoe.

pad 36, their' exact depth, and particularly the depth of the groove 35, is not critical. Their l larly, may be reduced to a mere slit without substantial Width.

If an'excessive roll of-V the edge of the sole of aV shoe into contact with the upper is desired, it will while the groove 42, 44, 46 Vand the groove 35, should be deep relatively to the thicknessof the e bottom of the portion of the pad 36 is provided 5 with a relatively thin readily separable layer 48, for example about one-eighth ofV an inch thick, which may be peeled off if desired, thereby permitting the shoe to sink farther into the pad. This layer 48 approximates in size the sole of the 10 largest shoe which is to be operated upon, and, as shown in Fig. 2, is substantially less in area than the pad itself.

The illustrated pad is provided, in addition to the relatively deep grooves previously mentioned, 15 with certain shallower grooves 50 which are of no special significance so far as the operation of the pad is concerned but which result from the presence of supporting members used in the mold in which the pad is vulcanized and provided for the 20 purpose of retaining in position the Vstrips of material provided to form the groove 42, 44, '46 and the groove 35.

Having thus described the invention Y what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

l. A pad for use in pressing soles on shoe bottoms comprising a somewhat yielding member having a surface to receive the sole of a `shoe to which pressure is to be applied, the opposite sur- 30 face of said yielding member being provided With grooves extending lengthwise ofthe pad and separated by a distance approximately the width of a shoe bottom.

2. A pad for use in pressing soles on shoe bot- 35 toms comprising a somewhat yielding member having a surface to receive a sole of a vshoe to which pressure is to be applied, the opposite surface of said yielding member being provided with a plurality of `grooves extending lengthwise yof o the pad. n Y

3. A rubbed pad for use in pressing soles on shoe bottomsY having a surface shaped toV conform longitudinally approximately to the proiile of a shoe bottom, the opposite surface of the pad 15,V

being provided with grooves extending lengthwise of the pad and separated by a distance approximately the width of a shoe bottom.

4. A pad for use in pressing soles on shoe bottoms having a shoe receiving surface shaped to 50 conform approximately tothe profile of the bottom of a shoe to which pressure is to be applied, the opposite surface of said yielding member being provided with a plurality of relatively deepI grooves extending lengthwise of the pad. V

5. A rubber pad for use in pressingl soles on shoe bottoms having a shoe receiving surface shaped to conform approximately to the prole of the bottom of a womans shoe having a moderately high heel, the opposite surface of said pad tending lengthwise of the 'pad and separated by a 70l distance approximately the width of a shoe bottom, and also with a transversely extending groove underlying the break line of the sole of a shoe operatively positioned on therpad. Y V

7. A pad for use in pressing soles on shoe botn toms comprising a somewhat yielding member having a surface to receive the sole of a shoe to which pressure is to lbe applied, the opposite surface of said yielding member being .provided with a plurality of grooves extending lengthwise of the pad and with, a transversely extending groove underlying the break line of the sole of a shoe operatively positioned on the pad.

8. A pad for use in pressing soles on shoe bottoms comprising a somewhat yielding member having a surface shaped to conform longitudinally approximately to the profile of a shoe bottom, the opposite surface of .said yielding member being provided with a groove comprising two portions extending lengthwise of the pad and separated by a distance approximately the width of a shoe bottom, said two portions of the groove being connected by a curved portion at the toe end of the pad.

9. A rubber pad for use in pressing soles on shoe bottoms having a surface shaped to conform longitudinally approximately to the profile of a shoe bottom, the opposite surface of the pad being provided with a groove comprising two portions extending lengthwise of the pad and separated by a distance approximating the width of a shoe bottom, said two portions of the groove being connected by a curved portion at the toe end of the pad.

10. A rubber pad for use in pressing soles on shoe bottoms having a surface shaped to conform longitudinally approximately to the profile of a shoe bottom, the opposite surface of the pad being provided with a groove comprising two portions extending lengthwise of the pad and separated by a distance approximating the width of a shoe bottom, said two portions of the groove being connected by a transversely extending groove underlying the break line of the sole of a shoe operatively positioned on the pad.

11. A pad for use in pressing soles on shoe bottoms comprising a rubber member having a surface shaped to conform longitudinally approximately to the profile of a shoe bottom, the opposite surface of the pad being provided with a deep groove comprising two portions extending lengthwise of the pad and separated by a distance approximating the width of a shoe bottom, said two portions of the groove being connected by a curved portion at the toe end of the pad, said opposite surface also being provided with a transversely extending groove underlying the break line of the sole of a shoe operatively positioned on the pad.

12. A rubber pad for use in pressing soles on shoe bottoms having a shoe receiving surface, the rubber of a portion of the pad approximating in side the sole of the largest shoe which is to be' operated upon and underlying a shoe positioned on the pad in operative relation 4thereto being relatively soft and being surrounded by a harder portion.

13. A pad for use in pressing soles on shoe bottoms comprising a rubber member having a shoe receiving surface shaped to conform longitudinally approximately to the prole of a shoe bottom, the rubber of a portion of said member approximating in size the sole of the largest shoe which is to be operated upon and underlying the shoe being relatively soft and being surrounded by a harder portion.

14. A pad for use in pressing soles on shoe bottoms comprising a rubber member having a shoe receiving surface shaped to conform longitudinally approximately to the profile of a shoe bot-l tom, the rubber of a portion of said member approximating in size the sole of the largest shoe which is to be operated upon and underlying the shoe being relatively soft and being surrounded by a harder portion reinforced with a multiplicity of layers of fabric.

15. A rubber pad for use in pressing soles on shoe bottoms comprising a body portion of soft rubber approximating in size the sole of the largest shoe which is to be operated on and underlying a shoe positioned in operative relation thereon, said portion of the pad being surrounded by harder rubber and the whole being overlaid by a layer of rubber still softer than the soft rubber rst mentioned.

16. A rubber pad for use in pressing soles on shoe bottoms having a surface shaped to conform longitudinally approximately to the prole of a shoe bottom, the opposite surface of the pad being provided with a plurality of lengthwise extending grooves, the marginal portion of the pad being of relatively hard rubber and surrounding a portion of soft rubber, the shoe engaging surface of the whole being overlaid with a thin layer of still softer rubber.

17. A rubber pad for use in pressing soles on shoe bottoms having a surface shaped to conform longitudinally approximately to the proflle of a shoe bottom, the opposite surface of the pad being provided with a pair of grooves extending lengthwise of the pad and separated by a distance approximating the width of the shoe bottom, the portion of the pad between said grooves being made of relatively soft rubber, and the portion of the pad beyond the grooves being of relatively hard rubber, the shoe engaging surface of the whole being overlaid with a thin layer of rubber still softer than the rubber of the portion between the grooves.

18. A rubber pad for use in pressing soles on shoe bottoms having a surface shaped to conform longitudinally approximately to the prole of a shoe bottom, the opposite surface of the pad being provided with a groove comprising two po-rtions extending lengthwise of the pad and separated by a distance approximating the width of the shoe bottom, said two portions of the groove being connected by a curved portion at the toe end of the pad, the portion of the pad bounded by said groove being made of relatively soft rubber, and the portion of the pad exteriorly to the groove being of relatively hard rubber, the shoe engaging surface of the whole being overlaid with a thin layer of rubber still softer than the rubber of the portion bounded by the groove.

19. A rubber pad for use in pressing soles on shoe bottoms having a shoe receiving surface, the opposite surface of the pad being provided with a relatively thin layer readily removable from the pad, substantially less in area than the pad but approximating in size the sole of the largest shoe which is to be operated upon and underlying a shoe positioned on the pad in operative relation thereto.

20. A rubber pad fo-r use in pressing soles on shoe bottoms having a shoe receiving surface shaped to conform approximately to the profile of a shoe bottom, the rubber of a portion of the pad approximating in size the sole of the largest shoe which is to be operated upon and underlying a shoe positioned on the pad in operative relation thereto being relatively soft and being surrounded by a harder portion, the surface of said soft rubber portion opposite its shoe receiving sur- Y being connected by a third portion at the toe end Y of the pad, the surface of the pad opposite the shoe receiving surface and bounded by said groove being provided with a readily removable layer.

22. A pad for use in pressing soles on shoe bot- Y toms comprising a rubber member having a surface to conform longitudinally approximately to theprole'of a shoe bottom, the opposite surface 'of the pad being provided with a deep groove comprising portions extending lengthwise of the pad and separated by a distance approximately the width of the shoe bottom, the surface of the pad opposite the shoe receiving surface and bounded by said groove being provided with Va Vreadily removable layer, said opposite surface of the pad alsoI having a transverse groove underlying the break line of the sole of a shoe operatively positioned on the pad.

23. A pad for use in pressing soles on shoe bottoms comprising a rubber member having a sur- Vface to conform longitudinally approximately to the profile of a shoe bottom, the oppositesurface of the pad being provided with a deep groove comprising portions extending lengthwise of the pad and separated by a distance approximately the width of the shoe bottom, said two portions of the groove beingconnected by a third portion at Vthe toe end of the pad, the surface of the pad opposite the shoe receiving surface and bounded by said groove being provided with a readily removable layer, said opposite surface of the pad also having a transverse groove underlying the breal; line of the sole of a shoe operatively positioned on the pad. Y

24. A pad structureV for use in pressing soles on shoe bottoms comprising a somewhat yielding member having a shoe receiving surface, the opposite Vsurface of said member being provided with a transversely extending groove underlying the break line of the sole of a shoe operatively positioned on the pad, said member resting upon a harder member the adjacent surface of which is continuous in the vicinity of said groove and the remote surface of which is provided with a transversely extending groove substantially underlying the groove in the yielding member.

275. A pad structure for use in pressing soles on shoe bottoms comprising a rubber pad member having a shoe receiving surface, the opposite sur- 4groove in the rubber pad.

26. A pad structure for use in pressing soles onv shoe bottoms comprising a rubber member hav- Ving a shoe receiving surface conforming approximately to the profile of a shoe bottom, the oppo- Y site surface of said member being provided with a pair of longitudinally extending grooves separated by a distance approximately the width of the shoe bottom, said opposite surface also hav'- V inga transverselyl extending groove underlying the break lineof the sole of a shoe operatively positioned on the rubber member, said rubber member resting upon another rubber member the surface of which opposite to that engaged by the vfirst rubber member is provided with a transversely extending groove substantially underlying the transverse groove Vof the first rubber member.

27. A pad structure for use in pressing soles o shoe bottoms comprising a rubber member hav- Y ing a shoe receiving surface conforming approximately to the profile of a shoe bottom, the opposite surface of said member being provided with a groeve comprising two portions extending lengthwise of the pad and separated by a distance approximately the width of the shoe bottom, said two portions of the groove being connected by a curved portion at the toe end Yof the shoe, said opposite surface also having a transversely extending groove underlying the break line of the sole of a shoe operatively positioned on the rubber member, said rubber member resting upon a harder rubber member the surface of which opposite to that engaged by the rst rubber member is provided with a transversely extending groove substantially underlying the transverse groove of the rst rubber member.

FRANK R. MERRITT. 

